Mirror



W. PEACOCK MIRROR Filed April 18I 1927 wuenkoz Patented Nov. 19, 1929 f" UNITED STATES PATENTl OFFICE WILLIAM PEACOCK, F LITITZ, PENNSYLVANIA, vASSIGNOR T0 WOOLWORTH CHEMICAL COMPANY, 0F LITITZ, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA MIRROR Application med April 18,

My invention relates to mirrors. Generally stated, the mirror consists of a suitable sheet of glass or transparent material to the rear surface of which is film or coating of an organic substance exhibiting a sheen or luster of metallic appearance. This reflecting film is covered by a protecting coating to render the finished mirror capable of withstanding the effects of weather and the usual commercial abuse. Mirrors involving the invention may be produced much more cheaply than those in which the reflecting coating is a metallic substance, and they are particularly suitable for use as rear vision mirrors of automobiles where it is desirable that the images of all objects reflected thereby shall be clear and strong but of a substantially educed intensit so that the glare of bright obJects 1s eliminated to a degree sufcient to prevent any serious difficulty of clear vision or strain or fatigue of the-eyes. The amount of light reiected by a mirror having a reflecting coating of the character indicated will of course var with the percentage of light absorbed by tile organic material.

In the accompanying drawing showing a cross sectional view of a mirror embodying the invention, 1 is a piece of plate glass having in optica-l contact with its rear face an organic reflecting coating or film 2 which is overlaid by a protecting backing referably consistino` of an inner waterproo coating 3 of paint 1n contact with the reflecting film 2 mirror shall reflect, for, as is well known, the

light absorbing qualities of different dyes va Thus a coating of fluorescein produces too right a reflecting image to give the most desirable results in a rear vision mirror, but it is obvious that a mirror producing an inand a ceramic coatin or layer 4. f Any suit-` able paint or varmsli which will not 1n] ure the 1927. Serial No. 184,614.

sufficient darkening effect or too great a darkening effect to be desirable for a given use may well be suitable for some other purpose. Eosin, fuchsin and magenta, especially the latter, produce suitable reflecting surfaces or coatings for rear vision mirrors for automobiles, as they absorb enough light to produce a sufiicient darkening efl'ect. A mirror having a coating of magenta reiiects approximately ll per cent of the light emanating from the source. This is suiicient for the production of clear and strong images of all objects reflected in the mirror, while at the same time eliminating unpleasant or blinding lare. A magenta coated mirror is also particularly desirable in that the green metallic sheen of its reflecting surface is pleasing to the eye.

Variations in the intensity of the reflections may easily be effected by forming the reflecting coating from combinations of the dyes. Thus, for example, methyl violet, which alone reflects somewhat more light than is desirable in the case of a rear vision mirror, may, be mixed with magenta to produce a coating reflecting a percentage of light intermediate of the amounts respectivelyl reiiected by those two materials.

The organic compound which is to form the desired reflecting coating, as for example magenta, is dissolved in a volatile solvent, preferably ethyl alcohol, to form a saturate solution, saturation being promoted by raising the tem erature of the solution to about 95 F. Be ore this coating solution is applied to the glass the latter is washed and dried and then heated in an oven to about 100o F. In cleaning the glass a strong alkali is preferably first employed to remove any grease, followed by nitric acid to eliminate any inert substance not removed by the alkali, and then the glass is rinsed in water.

The coating solution or mixture, preferably while at a temperature of 95 F., is then applied to the rear surface of the glass in any convenient manner by spraying, brushing or flowing it on or by applying it in any other suitable manner. When coming in contact with the glass the heat of the latter causes the volatile solvent to evaporate rapidly, leaving upon the glass an even deposition nf the organic matter. The reecting film thus deposited on the glass is then covered with the protecting backing and the mirror is complete.

I claim A mirror havin a reecting coating embodying magenta ye.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM PEACOCK. 

